[hotboiboi]

Let me start off by sayin I am not a laker fan or hater...just a basketball fan who is real about the situation. Even without the 81 points kobe is by far the best player in the league. There is no close second. Lebron may be a better player than kobe was at his age...but kobe was still on his way to getting a ring at that time. There is really no aspect of kobes game that is unpolished...he can score (that's the obvious) anyone says that he doesn't make his team better is not smart...he can rebound...he is one of the few superstars that plays d...his mid range...his 3 point...his post up is all there...and we seem to forget, because he doesn't often do it...he can still jump out of the gym...no other player is more complete and top at the top in everything on the court as kobe. So all this... "well he and lebron are arguably the best 2 players..." NO...lebron is arguably 2nd best with garnett...duncan...d. wade...mello (dispite what people say...he is just as good...he just has to do less cause his team has other proven superstars) but it is KOBE....THEN THE REST OF THE LEAGUE...am I lying???

[Cameron Crazy]

Lebron or Kobe, Its a tough choice.

[kflo]

Originally Posted by hotboiboi

Let me start off by sayin I am not a laker fan or hater...just a basketball fan who is real about the situation. Even without the 81 points kobe is by far the best player in the league. There is no close second. Lebron may be a better player than kobe was at his age...but kobe was still on his way to getting a ring at that time. There is really no aspect of kobes game that is unpolished...he can score (that's the obvious) anyone says that he doesn't make his team better is not smart...he can rebound...he is one of the few superstars that plays d...his mid range...his 3 point...his post up is all there...and we seem to forget, because he doesn't often do it...he can still jump out of the gym...no other player is more complete and top at the top in everything on the court as kobe. So all this... "well he and lebron are arguably the best 2 players..." NO...lebron is arguably 2nd best with garnett...duncan...d. wade...mello (dispite what people say...he is just as good...he just has to do less cause his team has other proven superstars) but it is KOBE....THEN THE REST OF THE LEAGUE...am I lying???

kobe is unmatched as an overall scorer. have you been paying attention to what lebron has been doing this year though? lebron isn't, nor will he likely ever be as polished a scorer as kobe. but he does do other things better than kobe.

if cle can somehow pull off a trade to bring in a legit complementary player, we're really looking at a glory period for the game. potential magic/bird stuff.

the best players all on the best teams.

[Plastic Man]

In my opinion he is still the best player, but no chance do you put "by a landslide" in there and get away with it. Giving credit where is due, LeBron has been unreal this year. Same goes for Chris Paul. It really is a special season, one of the more interesting in the past couple of years. So many great players giving their best to get their teams to the W. I can't wait for the playoffs, really, to see what they have prepared for us, the fans .

[futuristxen]

Lebron is the first player since Magic Johnson to do back to back triple doubles twice in the same season.

Lebron is a ridiculous basketball player. And I think he has surpassed Kobe this year. I watch Kobe sometimes this year after watching Lebron and it's like going from Coke to Pixie sticks. It's just not nearly the same kind of high. Lebron has just been out of this world this year and put himself on a level that Kobe has rarely touched. Yeah Kobe can make a lot of baskets. But watching Lebron talking trash with opposing fans while leading ridiculous comebacks. Beating teams the Cavs have no right to beat. All the while playing opposing defenses like a fiddle. I don't think anyone throws a better skip pass than Lebron. And defensively Lebron is a lot more exciting than Kobe. The blocks he's had this year have been nasty. Josh Smith type of nasty. And steals he's like watching Iverson. And then when he needs to he puts guys on lock. Like he did to Kobe. Kobe was doing everything to shake Lebron, and couldn't. Same with Roy.

It's easy to talk about how great Kobe is. But this year, he pales in comparison to James.

Show some respect to the King.

[The Solution]

1.) Kobe Bryant is a better scorer
2.) Lebron James is a better Rebounder
3.) Kobe Bryant is a better defender (still)
4.) Lebron James is a better passer (by a pretty solid margin)
5.) Kobe Bryant has been to the NBA Finals 4 times in his career
6.) Lebron James has been to the NBA Finals once in his career


A lot of Kobe Bryant being better than Lebron James is simply because Kobe Bryant has been in the league longer than Lebron James. The only reason why Lebron James gives Kobe Bryant a hard time on the Defensive end is the size difference, i'm a firm believer in that.

However as overall player goes, no stats involved, I will need to go with Kobe Bryant as of right now. But Lebron James is catching up at an alarming rate, that being said Kobe Bryant isn't the best player by a landslide. Kobe Bryant is just the best player in the league.

[jericho]

Can't go wrong with either choice. It's a Bird/Magic kind of debate. I think we're looking at good times for the NBA, especially if the Celtics hold up as a serious contender.

My personal preference - for a player to build a championship around - is Lebron by a hair. He's showing signs of the killer instinct and defensive determination that have set Kobe apart the past few years, he's better at making his teammates better, and I suspect he's much more likely to be a successful magnet for high-quality free agents.

[futuristxen]

What is Kobe being the best player based upon?
Lebron is the better scorer this year. Kobe shoots too many jumpshots. Lebron gets it done in the paint. Lebron is the MUCH better passer. Lebron has passed Kobe on defense. Lebron routinely guards positions 1-4. Last night he ended up on Troy Murphy who is a power forward because Murphy was the hot hand, and Lebron had to cool him off. Another night he is on Brandon Roy and another night he is on Dirk or Michael Redd or Tony Parker. He's much more versatile than Kobe on defense. His help defense is better than Kobe's. And his defensive rebounding is better than Kobe. He also has just as quick as hands as Kobe.

Kobe's defensive rep is just that, a rep. If I need a stop to win the game, I'm going with James. He's won too many games on the defensive end.

Offensively he's the most complete and dangerous player in the NBA. Scoring, passing, rebounding. Leadership.

Yeah Kobe got to the finals, but he had a prime Shaq. Lebron got to the finals with Zydrunas Illgauskas. Kobe hasn't even got out of the first round yet post-Shaq. Maybe that's being in the west, maybe it's that Kobe needs more talent around him to be a "winner" than Lebron does. If Lebron had the Laker's supporting cast he'd be even more ridiculous.

Plus Kobe has the whole Laker hype machine behind him, which Lebron doesn't. If Lebron was in LA with that kind of media push behind him, and Kobe was in Cleveland, there's no way Kobe would even be in the discussion.

[bballlife]

Kobe seems to play through injuries better than Lebron. That is a key point some people forget when comparing their stats this season. Kobe's ppg dropped nearly an entire point when he played against the Nets and Hawks. He has also played a big chunk of the season with sprained shooting wrist.

Lebron was out 5 games with a sprained left index finger. Possibly suggesting Lebron prefers to only play at 100% or close to it.

[The Solution]

Originally Posted by futuristxen

What is Kobe being the best player based upon?
Lebron is the better scorer this year. Kobe shoots too many jumpshots. Lebron gets it done in the paint. Lebron is the MUCH better passer. Lebron has passed Kobe on defense. Lebron routinely guards positions 1-4. Last night he ended up on Troy Murphy who is a power forward because Murphy was the hot hand, and Lebron had to cool him off. Another night he is on Brandon Roy and another night he is on Dirk or Michael Redd or Tony Parker. He's much more versatile than Kobe on defense. His help defense is better than Kobe's. And his defensive rebounding is better than Kobe. He also has just as quick as hands as Kobe.

Kobe's defensive rep is just that, a rep. If I need a stop to win the game, I'm going with James. He's won too many games on the defensive end.

Offensively he's the most complete and dangerous player in the NBA. Scoring, passing,